Suspension device for container



March 4, 1958 N. M. NESSET ET AL 2,825,521

SUSPENSION DEVICE FOR CONTAINER Filed May 4, 1954 I VENTORS flauvice M. asset fieodore H. Gewecke BY EMU {will SUSPENSIQN DEVICE FDR CONTAINER Naurice M. Nesset, Palatine, and Theodore H. Gewecke, Glenview, IlL, assignors to Baxter Laboratories, Inc.

Application May 4, 1954, Serial No. 427,611 4 Claims. (Cl. 248-318) This invention relates to a suspension device for a container and, more pmticularly, to a bail and band for a parenteral container.

In the past it has been a customary practice to use a wide metal band mounted in a peripheral recess in the container as a means for fastening a bail thereto which, in turn, permits the container to be suspended during the period that the contents of the container are being administered. The band is ordinarily formed into a hoop by inserting one end of the band which has been previously shaped into a tongue into a hole provided in the opposite end of the band. The inserted tongue is then crirnped to secure the band in a snug position in the peripheral recess. In addition, the band is provided with a pair of openings, so spaced as to be diametrically opposed when the band is closed. The ends of a wire bail are inserted into these openings.

The type of bail and band described above is cumbersome to assemble by hand or, it assembled by machine, a complex arrangement of feeding and working parts is required.

The suspension device of our invention has the significant advantage of being easily installed by machine on a parenteral container. Appreciable savings in the cost of metal and fabrication of the component parts of our new suspension device can also be achieved. Essentially, our invention is adapted to be used in combination with a parenteral container, the container being provided with a peripheral groove or recess near its base. Grdinarily, parenteral containers are cylindrical in form and constructed of glass, so that the peripheral groove can be readily molded into the container. The groove is of such a nature as to permit the mounting of a Wire band therein. The ends of the wire band are then secured together to form a hoop or closed circle of wire. A resilient bail member is clamped to the container by the wire band. The bail member is provided with enlarged end portions which permit securing of the otherwise positionable bail member in place underneath the wire band.

Our invention will be described in conjunction with the accompanying drawing in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a parenteral container equipped with the suspension device of our invention; Fig. 2 is a fragmentary cross sectional view taken along line 2-2 of Fig. l; and Fig. 3 is an elevational View of a parenteral container equipped with the bail and band of our invention, but before the bail is locked in place.

Referring to the drawing, a parenteral container is suspended by our suspension device, generally designated 11, on an independent support means 12. The support means 12 may be of any conventional form known to the art and forms no part of our invention. For example, when parenteral solutions are to be administered on the battlefield, the container may be supported from a rifle with its barrel or bayonet inserted into the ground.

The container 10 is provided with a peripheral groove 13 adjacent its base. Groove 13 is of a size adapted to receive a wire of sutficient diameter to support the weight of the container. The location of peripheral groove 13 with respect to the base is uncritical, so long as it is above the center of gravity of the inverted, filled container. Mounted in groove 13 is wire band 14. Located between wire band 14 and container 10 are the end portions of bail member 15. Bail member 15 may be constructed of any resilient material such as a plastic, and in the preferred form is a vinyl chloride-acetate strap.

As best seen in Fig. 2, bail member 15 is provided with enlarged end portions 16 which permit the bail memher to be locked or secured in place under wire band 14 and also cause band 14 to fit snugly in groove 13 without special tightening. In the preferred embodiment, the end portions of the strap are characterized by a gradually increasing thickness, with the ends themselves being provided with a lateral rib or snubbed portion 16a. Thus the thickness of the strap tapers inwardly the ends. The same effect may be achieved by using a bail having cross sectional shapes other than rectangular as, for example, circular with the diameter gradually increased toward the ends thereof.

However, it is to be noted that the bail may be secured by other methods, as by wrapping the end portions of the bail one or more times around the band or by looping the end portion around the band and securing the loose end portion of the bail to the portion of the bail above the band, as by heat sealing, stapling, or the like.

The ends of wire band 14 may be secured together in any conventional manner known to the art. in the preferred embodiment, container Ill is provided with an additional recessed portion 17 adjacent peripheral groove 13. The size of this recess is sufficient to permit the joining together of overlapping ends 18 of wire band 14 by means of welding or brazing. Securing of the overlapping ends together can be readily achieved by applying spot-welding jaw means to them which will clamp the ends together and spot weld them in place, as at 19.

The suspension device of our invention can readily be assembled on a container. For example, the vinyl strap constituting bail 15 is laid across the base of container 10, the container being in an inverted condition. The end portions 16 of bail 15 will then depend adjacent the side of container 10. Wire band 14, which may be preformed to slightly less than the outer diameter of container 10, is then slipped over container 10 and snapped into position in groove 13, whereupon the overlapping end portions 13 of band 14 are secured together.

If the wire constituting band 14 is fed around container 10 from a wire-forming machine, it is preferred to provide container 16 with a spiral groove 13 in order to prevent the ends of band 14 from butting against each other. Such butting would prevent the band from fitting into groove 13. The ends of the wire band can also be prevented from butting against each other by making the width of groove 13 about twice the diameter of wire band 14.

In this connection, it is important to note that the band does not require any special tightening because the tapered end portions of the bail, shown best in Fig. 2, act as shims when the bail is pulled away from the base of the container.

A problem has existed with respect to supporting a container of this type in such a manner that twisting or rotating of the container is avoided while it is supported in suspended position. In the dispensing of parenteral fluids from the container, a tube is attached to the closure of the container and a needle is fixed to the lower free end of the tube, the needle being inserted into the arm of the patient and secured thereto by tape, etc. Un-

V eife ctive in holding the b tainer is suspended by said bail V Fig. l.

Wehave found that: when the bail is drawn to the posi-j 'tion shown in Fig. 3, the bailitselfis maintained in a fiat extended positionaga-in'st the body of the container and thereis no tendency for thebaih'under' conditions of shipment, to twist or to' become wrinkled, etc;

ont of the way and enables it to be packaged readily within shipping containers, etc. a 1

'The foregoing, detailed description has been given for 'clearne'ss of understanding only, and no unnecessary limiwill be obvious to those skilled in the art.

: *We claim; 7 it I s '1. in combination with a container provided with a peripheral groove adjacent to but spaced from the 'base thereof, a suspension device for said container adapted to dispose said container in 'a mouth-downward position, comprising a wire band mounted in said groove, the end portions of said band being secured together to form a hoop in said, groove, and a flat bail member slidably clamped to said container by said band, said bail mem-' her being provided with enlarged end portions permit-ting the said end portions'of said bail'me'rnber to be locked in "place under said band, whereby, when said conmemb'er, the flatsides of Further, the narrow wire 7 such circumstances; it; of great importance that V the container be restrained against twisting, or turning. With the structure shown, the wide band 11, when placed Further, V the position of thebail as shownin Fig. 3 maintains it a eriphe'mtrecess adjacent to butspaced train its; base, a suspension, device comprising a wire band mountedin said recess and having a length" greater than the peripheral length of said recess, the overlapping end'portions of said band being welded together to fo-rm the band into a hoop, said peripheral recess, being wider at one point to permit access of means for welding together the said overlapping'end portions of the band, and a positionable resilient bail member clamped t-oxsaid con- 1 tainer by said band, said' bail member being in the form of a flat strip of considerably groove beneath said wire band and whereby,

container is suspended by base thereofand restrain the container against twisting tations' are to be understood therefrom, as modifications bail'member being provided with thickened end portions a the bail member grip the container wall about the base thereof and restrain the container against twisting movement.

a '2. Av combination of the character set forth in claim' 1, wherein the. said flat bail member is of substantially uniform width throughout its tlength and the said en,-

"larged end portions are provided by; thickening the bail member at the ends thereof and wherein, the thickened end portions taper inwardly from. the ends thereof.

3. In combination with a container, for the. dispensing of parenteral fluids, said container being provided with movement;

r '4. In-a parenteral solution container equipped with a closure and adapted to dispense parenteral liquid irom a mouth-downward position, said container beingQprovided With a peripheral groove adjacent to but spaced from the base-of said container, said groove bein'gin the formvof'a spiral and enlarged laterally at'at, least one 1 portion, a suspension device forsaid container comprfs ing a wirelmoun t'ed in said groove, said wire having'ia length greater than the peripheral length of said groove whereby" said wire has overlapping end portions when indiii'ltd Said gi'GOV,

bail slidably clamped to said container by saidwire, said to permit 'secu're anchoring of said ball member under said wire said groove;

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 446,091 7 r 1,311,628 ,Walsh July 29,1919. 1, 460;017 Emiek IuneVZ G, 1-923 1,502,539 'Asbill Iuly 22, 4924 FOREIGNPATENTS r '1 France Jan! 26,1926

greater width than thick ness,tsaid' bail member being provided with an enlarged end portion of an outwardly-tapering th ckness to permit l 7 said 'bailr'nember to beslidabiy anchored within 'ther when-the" said bail member, the flat sides of said bail member grip the con tm'ner wall;about:the

said wire being so positioned in saidi groove that said overlapping end portions are welded together in saidlaterally-enlarged portion, and; aflat strap 3315:011 Feb. 10,1391 

